


Ricochet

by Nellychan19



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 22:01:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11322588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellychan19/pseuds/Nellychan19
Summary: He was a reckless apprentice with ambition. She was a Keyblade wielder struggling to find the will to fight. The light and the darkness will always be at war, but can love meet in the twilight? When darkness threatens to consume everything she holds dear, all she knows is that she has to save him, no matter what - even if it's from himself.





	Ricochet

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. I only own my OC, Mira.
> 
> Also, I based Mira's keyblade on N647's keyblade design on DeviantArt, though with a minor change. If interested, please see the link on my profile.

It was evening when she first came to the castle in the Land of Departure. She glanced at the stern man to her left; she could hardly believe that she would be in his care from now on. She wasn't sure what surprised her more, that she would be living in another world or that her father gave her up to this near stranger. She and the man had hardly spoken more than a handful of words to each other, and she wondered if she was destined to live a life of parental - now guardian - silence. The young woman turned her attention to her surroundings; the sunset was undeniably beautiful. The way the light filtered through the spaces between the castle cast an almost fairytale-like glow about everything; yet, despite the surrounding beauty, she felt as if she was seeing everything from behind a hazy curtain that made everything was just a bit greyer.

As the pair drew closer to the castle, the teenager noted its peculiar foundation; much of the support came from chains connecting the castle to the land. In fact, the only place where the structure was directly connected to the ground was at the top of the stairs they were currently ascending. She certainly hoped that it was more secure than it looked; she was almost tempted to turn around and leave this deathtrap behind. Not that she had anywhere else to go.

But noticing her hesitation, her new 'guardian' beckoned her forward, "Come." She followed. As they walked inside, she noticed a large stained glass window near the ceiling. The failing sunlight shown through casting a plethora of colors onto the floor. Tearing her eyes away from that splash of vibrancy, she noted the three thrones standing across the room. She wondered if her new guardian was some sort of king. But her thoughts were interrupted as the man in question started to speak.

"While you are here," he began, his voice crisp and clear, "you will not be alone. I have three other apprentices with whom you will be training. You all share the same goal: to become keyblade masters and protect the light."

The teenager wasn't sure how she felt about this new information; on the one hand, she would have people to talk to. But on the other hand, she had been sheltered as an only child, thus having had very little interaction with people outside her small family circle.

At that moment, the three aforementioned apprentices walked in, laughing and chatting. Their chatter died out when they caught sight of their master and the new girl. The sole female of the group recovered first and remarked, "Master Eraqus! Welcome back!" Her hair was a beautiful shade of blue that reminded the young woman of the ocean near her home. Former home.

Eraqus nodded to the bluenette and turned to his new charge, "Perhaps you all should introduce yourselves. Aqua, please show her to her room as well."

The older woman, Aqua, nodded and smiled at her, "Well, I'm Aqua. It's nice to meet you.. Um…"

Hesitantly, she replied, "My name is Mira. It is nice to meet you as well."

Following suit, the shortest of the three friends, a blond boy with gravity-defying hair, introduced himself, "I'm Ventus! But my friends call me Ven." Mira wasn't sure how to take that information; does she refer to him as Ventus since they are not friends? Or could she call him Ven?

Before she could dwell on it too long, the tallest of the group stepped forward and introduced himself, "Nice to meet you, I'm Terra." He practically oozed confidence and pride, so much so that the young woman found herself feeling intimidated.

Nodding, she acknowledged quietly, "It is a pleasure to meet you all." Mira found she could not hold their gazes for long despite their fairly welcoming demeanors. They fell into an awkward silence; she felt so small and out of place on this ocean-less world.

Aqua broke the silence, "Um, are you ready for me to show you to your room?" Mira simply nodded, and the two women headed upstairs. When they were out of earshot of the boys, Aqua tried to coax Mira into talking. "So Mira, if you don't mind my asking, how old are you?"

"I just turned fifteen." She thought back to her birthday. That was the day her father told her that she was going to be leaving with Master Eraqus the next time he came to their world. All because the keyblade chose her.

Aqua's response cut through her sullen musings, "I see, you're a little older than Ven then." When Mira only hummed in response, the two women lapsed into silence until they finally reached her room. "Well, here's your room, do you need any help unpacking?"

Mira shook her head, "No thank you. I haven't got much." She knew that she should be trying to make a friend, and Aqua was being so kind, but everything was just too much. She wanted to be alone.

"Well, alright then. I'll be just down the hall if you need anything. See you tomorrow." Throwing one last smile at the younger woman, Aqua departed for her room.

Mira looked around her new living space and noted its simplicity. 'It's... nice.' She took a deep breath and began unpacking her few belongings. Clothes went in the dresser, toiletries in the bathroom, and a single photo on the nightstand. That done, she readied herself for bed, but sleep did not come easily in this unfamiliar place. She missed the sound of the ocean lulling her to sleep. She missed the familiarity of home and the feeling that she at least kind of belonged somewhere. A few tears leaked from her eyes unbidden, though she wiped them away roughly.

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The next morning, Mira awoke before dawn feeling groggy and lethargic; evidently, having major life changes in the span of one day took more out of her than she thought, not to mention her poor sleep. Still, she pulled herself from the comfort of her bed and dressed for the day. Heading down the stairs that she and Aqua had ascended the previous day, Mira found herself in the throne room; the light of the dawn was the only illumination and she found the atmosphere peaceful.

Smiling slightly, she exited the room and made her way outside to watch the sunrise, but found that she was not alone; Master Eraqus was standing in the courtyard, breathing in the crisp morning air, likely appreciating the beauty of the morning. Smile dropping from her face and feeling as if she was intruding, Mira made to go back inside but paused when Eraqus spoke. "You may join me, if you like Mira."

The young woman hesitated and replied stiffly, "I do not wish to impose, Master."

Eraqus turned to her and frowned, "It is no imposition. Please join me, I would like to speak with you."

Nodding, Mira approached and stood beside him, turning her attention toward the ever-brightening sky. The cardinal star glowed a flaming orange, slowly illuminating the sky and bringing with it a new day. 'Funny, the sun looks the same here as it does back home. I wonder, do we share the same sun? The same sky? Does it matter?'

Eraqus spoke, rousing her from her thoughts, "I trust you have settled in?" She nodded and he continued, "Good. My hope is that you will find a home here."

She glanced over at him, "Master?" He faced her and she looked away, unable to hold eye-contact, hoping that she wasn't overstepping when she asked, "How do I… summon the keyblade?" She only vaguely remembered the bequeathing ceremony from when she was a child, and had never actually summoned her own key.

Eraqus remained silent and studied her; after a time Mira chanced a glance at him. When their eyes met, he answered her, "You must call it from the light within you."

'The light… within me…' Mira closed her eyes and thought of the sunrise and sunset from her home, the way it reflected off the water when she danced on the beach, and the warmth of that light. She thought of her mother and the time when her family was happy; it gave her strength, and in a flash of light, her keyblade was in her hand. Mira's eyes snapped open and she marveled at the weapon in her hand; it was lightweight and fit in her hand perfectly. The shank was thin, and faded from violet to white at the end. The bit was round with three amethyst spikes protruding. The key-chain was silver metal with a azure diamond hanging from the end. It sparked in the morning light and reminded Mira of the ocean.

Eraqus nodded, satisfied, "Good. Now, you must learn to wield it." He turned to go inside but Mira remained, marveling at her very own keyblade.

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Several months passed since that day, and Mira slowly grew accustomed to life as a keyblade apprentice. She took to the technical aspect quite well; learning the different movements was similar to learning a dance, and her natural grace lent fluidity to her movements. Actual application was a different story; sparring was Mira's least favorite training activity. Whenever she found herself pitted against one of her fellow apprentices, she found that she couldn't summon any aggression. As if she had no fight in her at all.

It was after one of these spars that Aqua and Mira made their way to the summit to chat and cool down. "Hey Mira? Before coming here, did you have any combat training?"

The woman shook her head, "No, why do you ask?"

Aqua replied, "It's just that, all your movements are so graceful."

Mira laid down on the grass, "Oh. Thank you." In truth, she felt uncomfortable with the praise, especially since she didn't really deserve it. Does grace really matter if one is always on the losing end of every spar? 'I'm a graceful loser,' she thought sardonically. She tried to change the subject, "My mom taught me to dance, so that's probably why." She smiled sadly as she remembered her mother; the memories of her didn't hurt as much anymore, but Mira still tried not to dwell on her.

"Really? Well it really shows in your warm ups and how you move during our spars. Though, I have to ask…" Aqua trailed off, somewhat uncomfortable.

"Hm?" Mira sat up, a little concerned for her companion's sudden discomfort.

Aqua sighed. "It just seems like when we fight... you aren't trying to win."

Mira lowered her eyes and pondered Aqua's comment for a moment. "It's... not that I don't want to win, nobody likes losing. I just… you're not my enemy, so it's difficult to fight you. Though, I've never had an enemy, so I don't know how well I would fare in that case either. I don't really want to hurt anyone if I can help it."

"Mira, I can take care of myself," Aqua chuckled, "you don't need to worry about that! Though," she sobered, "you really shouldn't limit yourself. The point of sparring is to prepare you to fight the darkness and defend the light."

Mira sighed and ran her hands through her fringe, "I know that. And I know you're stronger than me, and it's not likely that I would ever get to the point of hurting you. But… still… I just don't feel right attacking you - or anyone really. Even in a sparring match."

"I understand Mira, you're gentle; but I worry that if you are too gentle, you'll get hurt." Aqua sighed and gazed up at the sky. "You know, I think there will come a time when we won't have a choice. When that time comes, I hope you won't be afraid to fight."

'If that time comes… I hope that I wouldn't have to fight at all. Will I be able to do what's necessary?' Mira stayed silent, musing over her friend's words; she saw the truth in them, yet what could she do about it? She felt some manner of kinship with the only other female, but in truth, she was not particularly attached to anyone. She compared the budding relationship she had with Aqua to that which the bluenette held with her other friends and knew that she was still an outsider, and very much alone. Isolated in a way.

Mood dampened because of her thoughts and the conversation, Mira stretched and stood, "...Hey Aqua?" The older woman looked at her in question. "I'm going to head back inside, I'll see you in a little while."

"Okay, see you in a bit Mira. Please think about what I said, alright?"

Mira nodded and smiled faintly, "I will. Maybe I'll ask Master Eraqus for advice." She waved and started back down the path toward the castle.

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Later that evening after she had bathed and readied herself for sleep, Mira found herself lying on her bed in her room, still thinking about what Aqua said; she knew that trying to channel aggression was not the answer - that was how the dark gains a foothold in one's heart. 'But doesn't fear also give the darkness access? If I'm afraid to fight, won't that also cast a shadow? But… if I am too eager for power and violence then that is just as bad…' Mira ran her hands through her hair and sighed in frustration. What was she supposed to do? If she had known that she would struggle this much, would she have stretched her hand out and taken that key from Eraqus' hand all those years ago? If she hadn't, would she still be home on the Destiny Islands or would she have been sent somewhere else?

She thought of her father then, and frowned bitterly. She knew he was still grieving over her mom's passing, but she also hadn't forgiven him for his emotional absence. 'I may as well have been an orphan.' Mira thought angrily to herself. Shaking her head, she focused back on the problem at hand. And she definitely had a problem. How does one find the will to fight, especially when there is no enemy? 'No… there is always an enemy, even though I can't see it. The darkness is our enemy according to Master Eraqus. Yet… I am not afraid of it so much either. If we all have it in our hearts - even the nicest, kindest people, surely… as long as it it is kept in balance with our light and doesn't consume us, can it really be that bad?'

Mira rolled onto her side and clutched her pillow to her chest. 'Too much light, and one casts an intensely dark shadow. Too much darkness, and one chokes out the light - because light is fragile. Wouldn't even someone with the purest heart cast a shadow in the light?' Mira shook her head, 'Ugh, what am I thinking? Light does not threaten balance... It is always darkness that is trying to take more than its share; the darkness would twist even the most innocent of feelings into something aimed at evil. The dark… brings death but the light gives life and love. And that's worth protecting. But… I've never been in love. Though… I guess I can still help protect it for someone else. Maybe,' she yawned, 'maybe I could be a protector.' she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

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A couple weeks went by in this fashion with Mira primarily sparring with Aqua and occasionally Master Eraqus; still struggling to become a 'protector.' It was after one of these spars that Mira found herself contemplating how to dodge Aqua's magic more effectively when a voice interrupted her preoccupation.

"Terra! Do you wanna spar with me? ...Oh! Hey Mira!" Ventus was pestering Terra to spar… again. Mira could tell the younger boy definitely looked up to Terra - they were almost like brothers. She waved and smiled fondly at the scene; Ventus was a nice guy, and she didn't think he had a cruel bone in his body. Yet, he was still able to fight. How did he do it?

"Alright Ven, we'll go one round - just one, alright?" Terra on the other hand, was a different story. Something about him just didn't click with Mira but she could never put her finger on it; she chalked it up to having nothing in common or something. That, and he was a really strong fighter.

The two guys began their spar and the sound of clashing keyblades filled the courtyard. After a while, Mira noticed that Ven's footwork wasn't quite right. With his stance Terra would - 'Ouch!' Mira winced as Terra tripped him up and held his keyblade above the younger boy.

"Awwrrgghh! Again?! What am I doing wrong?"

'Poor Ventus,' Mira wondered if she should tell him… 'It's not really my place… though isn't it better if he improves?' She rose from her seat and approached them. Terra looked at her with a puzzled expression as Ven picked himself up off the ground. "Um… Ventus? I think the problem you're having is, well," she was starting to get nervous, 'Why on earth would I presume to tell him what's wrong? He's been here longer than I have…' Mira took a deep breath, "It's your stance. It's too wide." She took another steadying breath.

"Oh. Really? Can you show me?" came Ven's enthusiastic reply.

Mira hesitantly nodded, "Um, yeah sure... This is what you're doing," she imitated his stance, "and this is what you need to do." Then she showed him the correct position.

Ven altered his stance and swung at Terra who, naturally, blocked it. The older man chimed in, "That was better Ven, but you need to make sure to shift your weight to inflict the maximum amount of damage too." The younger boy nodded and they continued practicing, presumably until the younger man got it right; but Mira didn't stick around. She felt good about helping, but didn't want to push her luck or intrude on their training, so she retired to her room to study.

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Later on, after the sun had set, Aqua came by her room. "Hey Mira, Ven told me how you helped him with his stance today. Though, he said that you disappeared before he could thank you." The older woman looked at her expectantly.

Looking up from her book, Mira sighed at her visitor. "I didn't want to bother him or Terra, so I left. I… didn't want to be a nuisance."

The bluenette frowned, "No one thinks you're a nuisance, Mira. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Mira looked away, "Sorry… I'm just feeling down I guess."

"Why? What's wrong?"

'She's always so kind… but she shares a bond with the others that I could never be a part of. I'm… just an extra.' Mira shook her head and put on a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Don't worry about me Aqua. It's just one of those days." 'And either way,' Mira thought to herself, 'the others don't need me.'

The older woman didn't look convinced, but she allowed the issue to drop and changed the subject. "So, you've been spending a lot of time by yourself studying, what is it that is so interesting?"

Mira shut her book and stared at the cover. "Well… what is it about hearts that makes us strong yet also weakens us? I was also wondering… about the nature of light and darkness."

"What do you mean? Darkness is the ever-present enemy to the light."

The younger apprentice frowned, "Well, yes. But light and dark are attracted to each other; you can't have one without the other. So… is it really right to try to eliminate darkness? I understand that it needs to be kept in balance, but is it possible to have too much light?"

Troubled, Aqua admonished her, "Mira, that doesn't sound like what the master has taught us. Where did you get come up with that?"

Mira looked down, ashamed. "I was… I was just thinking about it. I'm not saying Master Eraqus is wrong… I was just trying to look at it in a different way," she trailed off. "I… didn't mean anything by it…" Suddenly, the floor was the most interesting thing Mira had ever set her eyes upon. She knew she shouldn't have said anything…

Her friend sighed, "I don't know what to tell you… Maybe you should talk to Master Eraqus about this."

Mira nodded, still staring at the floor. "Maybe..." She knew Aqua wasn't trying to shut her down, but it still stung that she wasn't willing to consider what she was saying. It was difficult enough talking to her peers at times but talking to their master, especially about something in which he believed so firmly was on a whole different level. 'I'll just not say anything…'

Her friend changed the subject, trying to dispel the awkwardness, "Do you want to join Terra, Ven, and me and watch the stars?"

Despite her reservations, she found herself nodding; it was better than sitting alone. "Um, sure." The two females departed and met the boys in the courtyard. If Ven and Terra were surprised to see Mira tagging along behind Aqua, they didn't comment on it, much to Mira's relief. The four of them walked to the summit and laid on the grass, staring at the stars.

Mira found herself lying between Ven and Aqua; she didn't say much, but listened as they joked and laughed, occasionally laughing along with them at something funny that Ventus said. 'Maybe… they could accept me…' Though she never brought up her personal musings again.


End file.
